Desire waylays the plans of a man with a mysterious past and a woman with an uncertain future, in Susanna Craig’s unforgettable series set in Georgian England.

After her much older husband dies—leaving her his fortune—Charlotte Blakemore finds herself at the mercy of her stepson, who vows to contest the will and destroy her life. With nowhere to turn and no one to help her, she embarks on an elaborate ruse—only to find herself stranded on the way to London. . .

More than twenty years in the West Indies have hardened Edward Cary, but not enough to abandon a helpless woman at a roadside inn—especially one as disarmingly beautiful as Charlotte. He takes her with him to the Gloucestershire estate he is determined to restore, though he is suspicious of every word that falls from her distractingly lush lips.

As far as Charlotte knows, Edward is nothing more than a steward, and there’s no reason to reveal his noble birth until he can right his father’s wrongs. Acting as husband and wife will keep people in the village from asking questions that neither Charlotte nor Edward are willing to answer. But the game they’re each determined to play has rules that beg to broken, when the passion between them threatens to uncover the truth—for better or worse. . .

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Charlotte, who is half French and speaks with an accent that she tries to suppress; and Edward, who also struggles to fit in with what society expects of him, find each other and create a community in the English countryside. The suspense generated by how this happens makes the book a page-turner, and the way multiple lonely and isolated characters come together is pure joy. The trials experienced by the main characters throughout the book do not make them bitter; instead, they make loyal friends who see them through. The depiction of female friendship is especially powerful. Injustices related to race, class, gender, and even domestic violence are present in the novel and yet the story remains uplifting because of the humanity of the characters. For those who have read the first two novels in this series, all the strands of the story come together in a highly satisfying and surprising way by the end. Highly recommended.

Wonderful book by Susanna Craig. Loved the whole story about Edward and Charoltte . Loved how they met and worked together at his estate even though they both kept secrets. Fell in love and found some of their family that they all gone.

His secrets, her secrets, and a big secret eventually discovered at his estate. This plot device doesn't enthrall me.

Plus a convoluted plot.

Charlotte was running away from her stepson, Edward was returning to his estate. They both lied to each other (secrets.) They decided it would be a good idea to pretend they were married in order to forestall village gossip.

Upon arrival, they find a freedwoman from the Indies in residence. She's well known to Edward, but the imperious way she spoke to Charlotte positively did not ring true. That just wouldn't have happened. It seemed clear to me that slavery in the Indies was the primary focus of the author in this novel. This is a worthy topic for attention; the period was a terrible blot on history. But with so much already going on in this story, its insertion was a trifle bizarre.

My graduate school professor wrote this book, so I knew before I bought it that it would be thoughtfully researched and well written. I wasn't wrong. I read all three in the series in a couple days because I couldn't put them down.